Heat pump training in line with demand
25th December 2024
UK: The UK government insists that the number of UK heat pump installers is in line with current workforce training demands.
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, the minister of state in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said that the government was working closely with industry to ensure that sufficient installers are available to install heat pumps.
He was responding to a question from Viscount Waverley, John Anderson, in the House of Lords, who asked what assessment the government had made of the number of heat pump installers, and what measures were being taking to ensure that there were sufficient numbers to meet the government’s heat pump strategy targets.
“The Government is working closely with industry to ensure that sufficient installers are available to install heat pumps,” Lord Hunt said. “The Heat Pump Association (HPA) estimate that as of 2023, the heat pump installer workforce is made up of between 4,000 and 10,000 trained and active installers. Nearly 8,000 individuals completed training in 2023, so we are well in line with current workforce training needs.”
To meet future demand, he explained that the Government was supporting heat pump trainees under the £5m Heat Training Grant. “Industry is also investing in upskilling the existing workforce. Octopus Energy has invested £10m in a new training centre in Slough, Ideal Heating have announced a multi-million-pound training centre in Bridgehead near Hull, and Aira is investing £300m in the UK heat pump market, including setting up training academies,” he added.
